Advertising in Counter-Strike Servers?

If ads were on bill boards then I wouldn't care but to have them as just a clean texture on a wall without any incorporation into the environment just looks bad.
The only game I've seen it work in has been GTA where mods changed the billboard textures.
 
This most likely...is completely legal.

This ad hosting has to be done by the server.

Servers can put custom files on there server to change textures for a map. There is nothing illegal with it I don't believe.

You DO download something...but I believe it only pertains to that one server.
 
The dodgy part is that they are profiting from Valve's games. Valve don't like that :)
 
Ads before the game is ok, but when I'm in the game it is not. I recently bought splinter cell: chaos theory (which is the game the axe-screenshot is from) and I got to say that the advertising is too obvious. There aren't many ads in the game, but those that are there do detract significantly from immersion. If I had known about it prior to my purchase there is a good chance I would not have bought it.

script:
"sam fischer sits in a helicopter.
"our hero decides it's time for chewing gum
"pan to extreme closeup of Wrigley's Airwaves! Catch that Wave!

Hopefully we will be able to choose whether or not to play on css-servers with ads. I mean, I love subway, they make the best fast food I know of, but those ads really don't fit in.

.bog.
 
/vomits

---

I'm pretty sure that when you buy the game or when you download server patches, somewhere there is a line of text that prohibits you from using Valve's game as a vehicle for commercial advertising. Or at least I'd have put in that line if I was making a game.

As far as the short-term is concerned, boycotting the servers is the best plan of action. Maybe we could put together a list of server IP addresses ourselves to make sure we don't spam Erik Johnson's account with messages saying the same thing. I'd suggest the following format:

IP Address - Server Name - Date seen

This way we can also put together a blacklist to protect HL2.net's own members from this mindrape.

---

In the future...

In-game advertising will become more prevalent, there's no doubt of that. As the consumers we can excercise our right to not spend money on the games that we consider to be ethically injust. If a company decides to include intrusive adertising campaigns in its games, the best way to show your objection is to boycott that company and all of its games and affiliates.

The same has been going on a long time with organisations such as ethical consumer, which provides information of companies ethical history (such as work practices, workers rights, animal cruelty, etc.), allowing the consumer to compile their own blacklist to take a stand against objectionable business policy.

So I'd suggest the current boycotting of these servers and the future blacklisting of any companies that fail to cater for the gamer's needs. As people have stated in this thread, billboard advertising can be acceptable for most gamers (personally when this starts happening I'd be up for getting 2D artists together to release downloadable anti-ad modifications that neuter the in-game advertising textures), but as consumers, we are not at all helpless to express our views.
 
losermeetsworld said:
I wholehearted you guys to follow suit. Arm yourselves with spray paint and let's do something about it, this shit is ridiculious. Later, I'm going to start a petition on petition.com or somewhere to make it illegal to advertise like that in games... SIGN IT!
Click to expand...
You are a complete moron.


And I don't mind ads in game, as long as they are on places that make sense (posters, billboards, etc)

This is one of those things that, like Steam, will be hated because it's "cool" for a year or two, then people will get used to it and not mind anymore.
 
JrdnGrn said:
This most likely...is completely legal.

This ad hosting has to be done by the server.

Servers can put custom files on there server to change textures for a map. There is nothing illegal with it I don't believe.

You DO download something...but I believe it only pertains to that one server.
Click to expand...
I think when they start generating extra revenue from additions to the game, it starts getting illegal, but I'd have to check the EULA.

boglito said:
Ads before the game is ok, but when I'm in the game it is not. I recently bought splinter cell: chaos theory (which is the game the axe-screenshot is from) and I got to say that the advertising is too obvious. There aren't many ads in the game, but those that are there do detract significantly from immersion. If I had known about it prior to my purchase there is a good chance I would not have bought it.

script:
"sam fischer sits in a helicopter.
"our hero decides it's time for chewing gum
"pan to extreme closeup of Wrigley's Airwaves! Catch that Wave!

Hopefully we will be able to choose whether or not to play on css-servers with ads. I mean, I love subway, they make the best fast food I know of, but those ads really don't fit in.

.bog.
Click to expand...
Ok, I deliberately didn't mention that :p
I meant the Axe advertising in Splinter Cell 3 was o.k. - I'm sure you agree it fit in well, was unobtrusive and natural etc etc. The airwaves advertising was awful. On the plus side, me and everyone watching (we liked communal gaming in the boarding house) cracked up, it was a hysterical moment. Airwaves was an in-joke for some time after.

My opinion on the ads: Make your own sprays of adverts subtly altered to be not so flattering, and stick them over the actual ads. Even if it doesn't stop the servers advertising it'll lower the effectiveness and knowing you guys' inventiveness, be funny as hell (kudos for the shops in this thread btw :D).
 
Yup. But usually they do it using an adminmod to display sprite object in the map, rather than replacing textures. The adminmod way is more efficient though, because you've got a lot more control over the placement. Hell, I'm sure I've even seen it done on Natural Selection.

-Angry Lawyer
 
Yestarday I played on a server that had the "Creative" logo and sprays with ads like (translated) "X-Fi Listen to mp3 music with quality better than CD" all over the map. Every minute or so a message popped up on the middle of the screen - "Creative X-Fi - frag your enemies before they even see you!", "X-Fi - Kill your enemies unawares - it's not a cheat yet :)", "Sound Blast your enemies".

Annoying.
 
First of all it is indeed done by plugins. They are textures inserted using "entities". Entities are sent each time a client connects to a server, and they can be edited.

Second of all you guys are overreacting here. Server administrators probably do this to cover the datacenter co-location expenses. If some billboard at a non-mission critical place is shown I don't see the problem. The forum we are on now isn't free from ads, the television isn't free from ads and even outdoor seeing ads is becoming inevitable.

I personally do not mind any ads at all.. as long it does not disturb me. If they are placed on a spawnpoint or something it'd be totally fine for me. Don't be a hypocrite though. If you don't like the ads go play on another server. Apparently they don't bother you enough otherwise you wouldn't be using this forum, would you?
 
The question is less about whether ads are tolerable, and more about whether they are legal.

For a server host to engage in a third-party contract not affiliated with Valve to advertise with use of Valve's proprietary software, there is a clear violation of Valve's rights.

From the Steam User Agreement:

"You are entitled to use the Steam Software for your own use, but you are not entitled to: (i) sell, grant a security interest in or transfer reproductions of the Steam Software to other parties in any way, nor to rent, lease or license the Steam Software to others without the prior written consent of Valve; (ii) host or provide matchmaking services for the Steam Software or emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Valve in any network feature of the Steam Software, through protocol emulation, tunneling, modifying or adding components to the Steam Software, use of a utility program or any other techniques now known or hereafter developed, for any purpose including, but not limited to network play over the Internet, network play utilizing commercial or non-commercial gaming networks or as part of content aggregation networks, without the prior written consent of Valve; or (iii) exploit the Steam Software or any of its parts for any commercial purpose."
 
Timothy Sottek said:
From the Steam User Agreement:

"You are entitled to use the Steam Software for your own use, but you are not entitled to: (i) sell, grant a security interest in or transfer reproductions of the Steam Software to other parties in any way, nor to rent, lease or license the Steam Software to others without the prior written consent of Valve; (ii) host or provide matchmaking services for the Steam Software or emulate or redirect the communication protocols used by Valve in any network feature of the Steam Software, through protocol emulation, tunneling, modifying or adding components to the Steam Software, use of a utility program or any other techniques now known or hereafter developed, for any purpose including, but not limited to network play over the Internet, network play utilizing commercial or non-commercial gaming networks or as part of content aggregation networks, without the prior written consent of Valve; or (iii) exploit the Steam Software or any of its parts for any commercial purpose."
Click to expand...

Then ADS are
owned.jpg
 
Server companies make money over the back of VALVe too though, so although theoretically you are right I doubt they will actually enforce that rule. (Unless it involves pirated copies and such)
 
I'm gonna head on down to the local Sub-gay (Sweet) and hit them up spraypaint style.
 
now that i think about it, ive seen ads on servers for things like "visit such n such.com" but it seems fishey profiting from the game without valve's permission.

It depends though on your view of property. If you buy a game, is it not your property? if you host that game on YOUR server, are you not providing a service for valve, to encourage people to play their game? does running a server not incrue costs to the owner?

this is trickie. at first i thought "nah, this ain't right" but im sure some place like subway wouldn't get into something without a lawyer looking at it. plus server owners would know I would hope whats legal to do with their own servers.

i dunno where i stand, or where this stands legally, angry lawyer should advise on this

"(iii) exploit the Steam Software or any of its parts for any commercial purpose.""

nevermind, i just read this, but id cs considered steam software? I wouldn't think that any game on steam would be considered "steam software"

any part of the eula thats more specific?
 
Well there's a difference between (I think) server host advertising and this advertising.

You know..those lil advertisement when you first join a server. I don't believe there's anything wrong with those, they've been around for a while. But FORCING your game to have pop ups probably is.
 
[off topic]subway rocks btw, but they are really expensive where I live. 20 bucks for a footlong with tuna and double cheese + mineral water. How much is it where you live?[/off topic]

.bog.
 
20 bucks, holy crap. I think it's around a fiver (£) here. I do love subway. They might not realise they're doing something illegal (if it is illegal) 'cos they're doing it through a 3rd party, so subway probably aren't liable for much either. I'd put good money on it being illegal.

Dark Nation said:
I'm gonna head on down to the local Sub-gay (Sweet) and hit them up spraypaint style.
Click to expand...
Either you're joking, or you're a moron. You're not funny if you're joking btw.
 
Thank you for that insightful addition, ZoFreX. I'm a spraypaint-a-holic, so I look for any excuse to tag something.
 
In game advertising is actually something my team and I have been discussing - selling space on billboards in specific locations (that match the map), updating them dynamically via a seperate web server... It's an interesting way of bringing in some revenue for mod development teams and I don't see what the issue is as long as the adverts are kept to items that might be interesting and not overly obstrusive (at least with this method you couldn't get popups or flash based ads).

Let's be honest, it's going to happen in the long run, games, especially online titles are ideal places to reach a fairly large demographic - it's an ideal situation for hardware manufacturers, ISPs and the like to take advantage of... Low-key, high impact adverts at a low cost with minimal hassle... The only issue holding us back is the legality of it in regards to the EULA - though we've contacted valve asking about it.
 
I don't think it's illegal although Valve probably has the right to shut the servers down from it's EULA. This situation isn't bad since it's only specific servers but I hope the trend does not continue.
 
i dunno if valve can shut down a server, well through steam though they can smite your account for all of eternity.

it may be a loophole in profit. network tv is free, but people make loads of money off it. watch a show, has an audience of 200 000 people a night, paying all the staff to produce it, they still generate millions in ad sales each year just from that one show. Imagine that the target audience is 18-34, and your average gaming audience age is 25, thats the prime demographic for advertising.

now imagine if the producers of cs, never let valve buy them up, and instead, put ads in their mod, and pocketed the money, never having to purchase a license to sell the mod, the revenue would be shere profit. millions and millions of game hours played, prolly a billion, and wow, i mean wow, thats money right there people $$$$$$$

i think i read that valve can change their eula at any time. so if its not in there now, it may soon be

but didn't the hidden get commissioned with like pcgamer ads? did pcgamer have to pay for the license?

hrm
 
while steam has an eula. i don't see any legal documents for the source dedicated server which is provided separate from steam.
 
what? this boards quick reply lagged a little... and it let me press reply twice~!
 
polyguns said:
but didn't the hidden get commissioned with like pcgamer ads? did pcgamer have to pay for the license?
Click to expand...

Hidden wasn't commissioned by PCGamer - Last mod I heard about commissioned by PCG was They Hunger.

Obviously the idea of big money is a factor in the decision of including ads in mods - but actual revenue won't be massive unless you can pull off a CS and become the "next big thing". You might manage a few extra bucks a month to help cover web hosting or whatever.
 
Dark Nation said:
Thank you for that insightful addition, ZoFreX. I'm a spraypaint-a-holic, so I look for any excuse to tag something.
Click to expand...
I'd be interesting in seeing photos :D
 
What I find funny is that all the game sites say that "I met with Doug and he told me...." It seems either the sites are copy-pasting content or Doug has a lot of people talking with him about it.
I've worked at a subway for a year and let me tell you that they are a whore of a company. Since it's a franchise, the company reps take in all the dough (no pun intended) and the store owners are left forever in debt.
They don't need anymore money, they are already the largest fast food chain in the world, beating McDonalds in number of stores. Why need the extra cash flow of such a small demographic market? Now I wouldn't mind if they put up non-distracting ads for smaller companies that might need the extra word-of-mouth.
 
Zomg, localised ads based on ip. That would be cool. Although it'd probably just end up as:

Shoot the monkey to order a pizza!
Shoot the girl in your area you want to meet!
Shoot 15 of your friends to get a free ipod!

They had a !pizza command in a mmorpg, think it was EQII or something.. seemed like a great idea to me anyway.
 
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